The Berry Patch is a place in TN where the Berry Family dwell, abiding in Christ and aspiring to become more like Him day-by-day.

Monday, March 30, 2015

March 30, 2015 … The Important Stuff !!

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2015 - Day 89

Devotional Song: ... Go to this link … Please take the time to take in a video of the group, Hillsong leading in worship, singing … Lord, I Offer My Life To You, declaring the joy of complete surrender to our Lord and Savior.

Highlight Passage Mark 14: 8-9 [NKJV] … 8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
… What Jesus considered so important for all mankind to take notice
============Highlight Context - Mark 14: 1-11 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus at a crucial time in His march to the cross
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My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Anne Cetas, reminded her readers (me) of an important principle of biblical interpretation which was illustrated in the first 11 verses of the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 14. The principle is that the amount of space (i.e., number of verses) devoted to a topic often indicates the importance that the Holy Spirit has inspired a Bible Author to dwell upon in the story or images being described.

So, in Mark 14: 1-11 note that only two verses (Mark 14: 1-2) describe a plot of the Pharisees to kill Jesus; and two more (Mark 14: 10-11) describe Judas’ involvement in that plot. Now one might think that the emphasis of God might be heavy on that topic in Mark, Chapter 14. However, sandwiched in between these sets of two verses each are seven verses (Mark 14: 3-9) describing the devotion of “a woman” who came to Jesus while he was dining with lepers (which is amazing in-and-of itself) and she anointed his feet with very expensive oil, much to the consternation of even Jesus’ disciples. And this was more important stuff from God’s point of view than even the plot to kill Jesus.

And note what Jesus said about this woman’s act of sacrifice in the highlight section of that passage - i.e., Mark: 14: 8-9, copied above. He said that her act of sacrifice would be talked about forever as a memorial to her surrender and devotion to her Lord.
And that’s what the Apostle Paul was writing about in two very crucial verses that became a bridge between what he was teaching in the Book of Romans [see Romans 12: 1-2 linked above] as to us become a “living sacrifice” with our lives devoted to living as the young woman lived out for Jesus in Mark 14.

So, today’s ODB entry challenges me to ask myself if I’m living with the attitude of sacrifice of that woman who anointed Jesus; or am I being the “living sacrifice” that Paul wrote about to the Christians in Rome? And my personal conviction is - MORE SURRENDER AND SACRIFICE IS IN ORDER! … What about you?

My Prayer Today: Dear Lord, during this Holy Week, You have given me notice to be more of that “living sacrifice” as witnessed by the young girl in Bethany as she anointed Your feet. Amen

Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.